Nelson isn't here to see it - he died during his term - but his vision is coming true.

Times two.

The Orem City Council this week rezoned 5 acres just east of Interstate 15's 1600 North exit for a new business complex, which will feature two eight-story, 140-foot-tall buildings.

North Pointe Plaza will join Orem's Midtown Village as the only two high-rise complexes in Utah County's second largest city.

"I remember [Nelson] expressing that he hoped someone would come along and build something nice and high-rise along the freeway corridor," said North Pointe project engineer Roger Dudley.

But a new office building simply wasn't feasible as little as three years ago because of a surplus of office space in the area. Today, office vacancies in Utah County are low, due to the rise in corporate expansion along the Wasatch Front, which has gobbled up available space

"There is a need for office space - especially Class A [top of the line] space" in Utah County, said James Bullington, an office and retail specialist with commercial real estate brokerage Commerce CRG.

North Pointe's two conjoined glass office towers will be the tallest buildings in Orem. Midtown Village, located at 300 S. State St., will be less than 100 feet tall.

"You're going to know when you're in Orem," City Councilman Mark Seastrand said.

Developers have been authorized to go forward with North Pointe's site plans and probably will start construction by the summer, Dudley said. The development will offer roughly 120,000 square feet.

The plaza - including a curving, three-story parking garage around the east and south edges - likely will be finished in the spring or summer of next year.

Because of the steep slope at the project site, roughly 1275 West 1600 North, developer Bruce Dickerson said the buildings may not appear as tall as Midtown Village.

But Dudley said Provo Canyon will be visible from the top two floors.

"This would give [the area] some depth and some personality, and I think that was the hope," Dudley said.

City planners say more projects like North Pointe Plaza and Midtown Village - developments that go up rather than out - are on their way to Orem.

The city of more than 90,000 people is almost built out.

"You're going to see a few more of [the high-rises] pop up down State Street," city planner Jason Bench said.

North Pointe's developers mailed 204 notices to residents within 300 feet of the property. Fewer than a dozen attended this week's council meeting and none had much concern with the project.

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* Tribune reporterLESLEY MITCHELL contributed to this report.